Passion Flowers and the Moonlight Path
by Dragonfly-Moonlight
Summary: Jurassic Park, Ninja Turtles crossover. Kagome goes back to her own time for no apparent reason and Inuyasha follows. Tragedy strikes.
1. Chapter 1

It's back! Rejoice!

* * *

"What do you mean she left for her own time?" 

Sango cringed at Inuyasha's tone but held her ground. Kagome had left earlier that evening, while Inuyasha had been out. Why she had left, she wouldn't say. Her face betrayed nothing as she said her goodbyes then disappeared to the well. Sango suspected that her friend had seen Inuyasha with Kikyou again and that's what sent her running home.

"Exactly what I meant, Inuyasha," she stated. "Kagome went home to her own era."

The hanyou wore a look of disgust then muttered something dark under his breath. Without saying anything more to her or anyone else in the hut, he turned and walked out. Sango shook her head.

"I hope he doesn't do anything to upset Kagome-chan," Miroku murmured. Shippou nodded his agreement.

'I hope so, too,' Sango thought as she looked at where the hanyou had once stood. 'There's no telling what will happen to those two if they really got serious about arguing.'

As he walked towards the well, Inuyasha ran over possible reasons for Kagome to have returned to her own time. She hadn't said anything about any major tests or exams coming up so those were ruled out. No family functions that he was aware of or anything else serious going on with her family. He was quite certain it had nothing to do with Kikyou since he hadn't seen the undead miko in weeks and he had told Kikyou then that he was no longer going to tolerate any more of her attempts to kill Kagome. Enough was enough.

'So why did she leave?' he pondered. Without even thinking about it, he jumped through the well that connected the feudal era to Kagome's time. 'Maybe I should just ask her what's going on. Make sure everything's okay.'

Quietly, he made his way out of the wellhouse and towards Kagome's home, making sure no one saw him. As he approached, he saw two girls dressed in uniforms similar to Kagome's but both had short hair. He hesitated. Kagome had told him once that her friends in her time did not know about the well hidden on the shrine grounds. They knew that he existed, that she had talked about him to a certain extent, but they didn't know that he was from the feudal age and that he was part demon. According to her, if she said anything like that, she'd never be able to return to the feudal age again for people would think she was crazy and have her locked up. He had always thought it strange, that youkai no longer existed in her era but, if they did, they had long since taken to hiding themselves and he slowly accustomed himself to the ways of her time. Not that he'd ever tell her that anyway. Cautiously, he approached the house, making sure that they didn't know exactly where he had come from.

'What am I going to say to them? I don't even know who they are and they certainly don't know who I am,' he thought as he approached the house. But he knew there was no going back. The two girls had spotted him and he had to squelch a feeling of discomfort as they grew closer.

He wasn't sure why they made him uncomfortable. Maybe it had been the way they had initially looked at him, appraisingly as if he were no more than a piece of fine livestock ready for use before the looks had changed to that of knowing then to a small amount of disgust.

'Probably should just nod and walk by them, into the house. Yeah. Straight by them and into the house,' he decided. 'I can talk to Kagome and wait for them to leave before heading back to the well.'

Luck was not with him. The girls sauntered up to him before he could even move by them.

"Hey, there," the first one smiled. "Haven't seen you before. You a friend of Kagome's?"

"Uh, yeah," he replied slowly. "I am. I just came by to see how she's doing . . ."

"She isn't here right now," the other replied. "In fact, we were just getting ready to go meet her. Would you like to join us?"

"Sure," he hesitated.

"Great," they both grinned, each grabbing a hold of one of his arms. "I'm Eri and this is Yuka. What's your name?"

"Inuyasha . . ."

"Inuyasha," the one called Eri rolled it over her tongue like a flavour. "Interesting name. Your parents have a strange sense of humour."

"What?"

"Nothing. Come on. Let's go!"

Both girls dragged him away from the house and down the stairs leading away from the shrine. A sinking sensation formed in the pit of his stomach as they led him away. Somehow he didn't think that the night would end well but if he could at least see Kagome and talk to her about why she'd left so suddenly, then he could ignore this feeling just this once.

'I just hope I haven't made a mistake,' he thought as they reached the stone river and continued moving away from the shrine.

For a while, they walked in silence, the girls still hanging onto his arms. Carefully, subtly he slipped out of their grasp, keeping an eye on his surroundings. If they ditched him, he wanted to be able to get back to the shrine and to the wellhouse.  
"Inuyasha?"

He blinked at the mention of his name and mentally shook his head. Eri looked at him, a questioningly look in her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Could you wait out here for a moment? They don't allow you in the store if you don't have shoes on. Health reasons . . ." she finished rather lamely.

"Sure," he nodded. "I can wait out here."

They went inside and he looked up at the sky. The air stank of the metal boxes that rolled by and the stars were clouded over by the smoke and other pollutants, as Kagome called them. He took a couple of steps until he reached the edge of the stone river.

'Maybe I should just tell them I'm going back to Kagome's house to wait for her there. I don't really like it here,' he thought as he gazed up. 'I don't know how Kagome can stand it. The smells are starting to block up my nose.'

He heard the two girls coming up behind him but paid no heed. A little longer he'd wait, he just wanted to look at the sky for one more moment then he'd follow them to wherever Kagome was. Before he could have that moment and turn around, something ran into him, shoving him into the middle of the paved road. A loud noise ensued and bright lights blinded his vision. Blackness and pain enveloped his vision and he remembered no more.

888888888

"I'm back!"

Sango and Miroku looked up as she walked in, slinging her backpack just inside the doorframe. Kagome surveyed the hut, taking in everything in front of her. She frowned when she noticed someone missing.

"Where's Inuyasha?"

"We thought he was with you," Sango replied.

"With me? But I left him here with you . . ."

"He left shortly after you did, Lady Kagome . . . In fact, he went through the well to talk to you about why you had left," Miroku explained.

"I didn't see him at all." A growing dread settled in her stomach. If Inuyasha had gone through the well to get her, she would have seen him. The only thing she could think of was he had gotten waylaid somehow, either by one of Naraku's minions or by Kikyou.

"Let's go find him," she stated. Sango and Miroku didn't say anything, just stood up to follow her out.

'Please, Inuyasha, be all right.'

They left Kaede's hut and headed for the Goshinboku tree. That had been one of the places where she had caught Inuyasha with Kikyou once. It seemed like a logical place to look but they inspected every inch of the area closely and found nothing. The night waned into day as they searched until Kagome felt like passing out. Sango had noted how weary she looked and suggested that she go back to her own time and get some rest. Maybe Inuyasha had shown up there and they somehow missed each other in the passing. It was a fool's hope to be sure but it gave her something to cling to as her friends escorted her back to the well.

'Here's hoping Sango's right,' she thought, not even bothering to keep her hopes up as she trudged to her house. Something about this wasn't right but she couldn't place her finger on what it was that was bothering her.

"Kagome!"

"Huh?" She turned her tired eyes to see the visages of her friends, Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi running towards her

"We were going to head to the mall today. Wanna come with us?" Yuka asked.

"Huh? Oh . . . no," she shook her head. "I'm exhausted. I was up all night looking for someone."

"Oh? Who were you looking for?"

"My," she faltered for a moment before she finished, "boyfriend. He stood me up last night and it isn't like him."

"You sure he didn't go to his ex-girlfriend?" Ayumi inquired.

"I'm sure," she nodded. "Some friends of mine told me that he'd gone looking for me last night, wanting to talk to me about something but I never saw him here at the house or anything. This isn't like him and I'm worried."

"I'm sure he'll turn up soon, Kagome," Eri assured. "Anyway, you do look exhausted so why don't you get some sleep and we'll catch up with you later."

The three girls turned and left, leaving Kagome to drag herself inside and up to her room. Her eyes closed as she fell onto her bed.

'Hurry back to me, Inuyasha. Hurry back.'

888888888

"Are you sure about this?" the man inquired, wiping his glasses off with his shirt. He was a weasel-looking sort of fellow, wearing expensive suits, and holding a light British accent.

"Yes, Mr. Rudrow," the Japanese doctor nodded enthusiastically. They stood outside the airport in front of a private jetliner and two paramedics walked by them, carrying a young man on a stretcher. "Very sure. He was hit by a bus head on. Severar peopre saw it. His wounds shourd not have heared as quickry as they did."

"And what about his state now?"

"Stirr comatose, sir, but he courd come out at any moment. That's why we have given your team extra sedatives, to keep him carm. It is most extraordinary, no?"

"Indeed," Ludlow agreed. "We shall do as you've asked and run some tests. Thank you for informing us of this . . . unique individual you have discovered."

"You're wercome, Mr. Rudrow," the doctor bowed. Another man came up behind him, carrying an antique sword. "Here. This was found on him. You might want to keep it handy."

Ludlow took the sword from the man and bowed, a smile gracing his face. 'And if his appearance is anything to go by, we may have a new test and cloning subject.'

Saying their goodbyes, Peter Ludlow, assistant CEO at InGen Corporations boarded the private jet heading for San Diego, California, USA.


	2. Chapter 2

"What the hell are you trying to pull, Ludlow?"

Peter looked up at the fiery blonde-haired woman standing before him. His face lit up in amusement. He had decided long ago, when she first started working for InGen, that she was beautiful. Married but beautiful. That had been five years ago.

'And she won't give anyone a second glance, even though she's a widow,' he thought morosely as he stood up.

"My dear, dear Torie," he began. "I have no idea as to what you're talking about."

Her brown eyes flashed then narrowed. She had that edge about her, the one that said, 'Don't fuck with me, Peter, or I'll rip your goddamn head off.'

"You know damn well what I'm talking about," Torie hissed. "I'm talking about you're latest 'test' subject, asswipe. You do know that it is illegal to do any genetic testing on humans, right?"

"Only if the government finds out," he replied smugly.

"This isn't something you can keep hidden forever, Ludlow. Things have a way of coming to light, whether you like it or not," she spat. "All it takes is one word to the Feds and it's over."

"Well then, we'll just have to make sure that the Feds don't find out now don't we?" he purred. "We do have ways of silencing those who oppose us."

"Are you threatening me, Ludlow?"

"Threaten you?" he smirked. "Now would I want to do something like that?"

"Because you're an asswipe, that's why," she snapped. "And don't worry, Peter. I wouldn't dream of telling the Feds. I'd leave that up to your uncle."

His eyes widened at that and he silently cursed himself. He had forgotten how close his uncle had gotten to the woman in the last four years. John had felt particularly guilty after she and her husband had been in a car wreck that had ended her beau's life and caused her to miscarry. That link to his uncle was always her trump card and she never failed to play it.

"You wouldn't dare," he hissed.

"Try me, Peter. You have twenty four hours to release him or I'm talking to John." She turned on her heels and stalked out of his office without another word.

'She sure knows how to play dirty,' he thought disgustedly, wiping his brow with his tie. 'Probably has already threatened the geneticists not to touch him and they'd listen to her quicker than what they will me. For some reason, they fear her and I can't figure out why.'

888888888

Torie slammed the door behind her. Of all the idiotic things that Peter Ludlow had to do . . . taking someone from his home to use him as a test subject had to be the icing on the cake. But she did have the upper hand, had always had the upper hand when it came to the genetics lab. She was the head of the department, had been since John Hammond had contacted her about his dinosaur cloning project. Granted, she had very little experience in genetics - her major had been English with a minor in history. John had already guaranteed her that she'd be the one making the decisions regarding the lab. No one else could. Not him, not Peter . . . just her.

"Mrs. O'Connell . . ."

"What is it, Henry?" she sighed, rubbing her eyes, reigning her irritation in. Dr. Woo did not deserve to be on the receiving end of her temper. Another confrontation with Peter Ludlow would be inevitable and it was best that she save it for him and him alone.

"Confrontation with Peter again?" he inquired lightly.

"What else?" Torie grinned dryly. "You need to see me about something?"

"Yes," the oriental man nodded. "The hanyou. He's awake now. Again."

"Hanyou?" she frowned. "Did you just say hanyou?"

"Hai," he nodded. "Hanyou. Inu-hanyou, to be precise."

"I thought that youkai were only a part of Japanese mythology," Torie stated, her pace quickening. Henry Woo immediately fell into step with her.

"That is the main belief. There are some, though, that believe that the youkai and hanyous still exist."

"Let me guess . . . They've managed to disguise themselves, right?"

"Or they've possibly evolved to look like humans, just changing their names when the time calls for it. Desperate times call for desperate measures."

"Interesting theories, huh?"

"Very," he agreed. "But there's something different about this one. As you know, when he came, he had very outdated clothing and a rusty old sword. He also wears that beaded necklace."

"I recall seeing the red haori and the necklace," she mused. "But not the sword."

"When he first came to . . . his eyes were red and he had a purple stripe on each cheek, Torie. We placed the sword next to him and he fell unconscious once more. The necklace, though, has been the biggest trick. We can't remove it."

"Can't remove it?" she raised an eyebrow at that.

"Hai. Every time we try, it glows. It's like it has a life of its own and refuses to leave its owner. I thought you might be interested in that, considering some of your other specialties," Henry winked.

"Very interesting indeed," she murmured. "Do you know if he's said anything since he woke up?"

"No. He hasn't. He was staring at everyone with a mild curiosity as I left the room. Mrs. O'Connell, I don't think he even knows what time or place he's in."

To that, she said nothing, just kept moving. She hadn't seen this young man. All she'd been told by the geneticists was that he was there and that Peter had wanted to start running all sorts of tests on him. Fortunately, their fear of her was far greater than their fear of Peter. Peter may have signed their paychecks but she determined whether or not they kept their jobs or their stations. John had put those conditions in her contract and she had only negotiated with him when it came time to renew it. Her mind raced as they walked to where the young man had been housed.

"Henry . . ."

"Yes, Mrs. O'Connell?"

"First of all, call me Torie. I'm not just your boss, I'm your colleague. Second, refresh my memory on something. Hanyou means half-youkai, half- human, correct?"

"Hai," he nodded.

"So it's entirely possible for his youkai half to override his human half, right?"

"Hai. Extremely possible," he nodded again.

"What about his human half? Isn't it the belief that hanyous, at least once a month or during a given time, become human for a short period? Or am I recalling that incorrectly?"

"No. You are recalling it very correctly. What are you thinking?"

"Nothing," she smiled sweetly, opening a door. "Nothing at all."


	3. Chapter 3

He sighed and poked a little at the string that had attached itself to its arm. It connected to a bag filled with a clear liquid and, since it didn't appear to be sucking out his blood so he let it be. For the moment. The instant it did, however, it would be gone. His ears swivelled slightly as he heard two people outside his room, talking. A man and woman, it sounded like.

'But what are they saying? All I can make out is hanyou and yes . . . Are they talking about me?'

He sat up slightly as the door clicked then whooshed open. Before him stood a golden-haired woman and a man of Japanese descent. The woman turned to the man and said something more. He bowed then left. She turned her gaze to him.

_"This is quite interesting, my friend. What am I to do with you?"_

_"What are you talking about?"_ he finally ventured to ask.

_"You're a long way from home,"_ she explained. _"And you're in danger from one of my so-called employers. Tell me . . . when do you turn human?"_

_"What!"_ His eyes widened and his body stiffened. _"How did you . . . "_

_"I know Japanese folklore and mythology,"_ she replied. "_I have family who are of Japanese descent. It would be best for me to know this so I can get you out of here and get you to relative safety. Please . . . this isn't just for your sake but the sake of others as well."_

He hesitated. What she had asked of him . . . it was a secret. HIS secret and he had guarded it very carefully for as long as he could remember. He trusted no one with it yet someone this strange woman knew.

_"What makes you say I'm in danger? I can take care of myself,"_ he retorted.

_"Are you sure about that?"_ she shot back. _"If we wanted to, we could make you sleep. Indefinitely. And no one would be the wiser about it. No one other than the people who work for me and the scumbag that calls himself the boss know that you're here. Please . . . I wish to help but I can't unless I know when you turn human."_

_"Why should I trust you?"_ he snarled.

_"Because I'm the only standing in the way of them running tests and experiments on you,"_ she stated. "_I'm the one keeping them from drawing out blood and other samples to keep them from developing weapons and Gods know what else. I'm your only chance of getting out of here."_

_"It . . . it's the night of no moon,"_ he whispered shakily.

_"Good,"_ she smiled. _"Tonight then."_

_"What? It's tonight?"_ he exclaimed. She nodded.

_"Hai. Tonight. So be prepared to be smuggled out. Dr. Woo will have a car ready and your belongings in it. We can dispense with any formalities when we're on the road. Rest up. We'll bring some food in. Please eat. You're going to need your strength."_

Having said that, she walked out.

'Great . . . What have I gotten myself into?'

--------------------------------

"She wouldn't dare!"

"She would, Mr. Ludlow. In fact, she's already making plans to get him out of here, though I'm not entirely sure as to how. His physical features give him away."

Peter growled under his breath. How could she do this to him? After all he and InGen had done for her . . . She had to betray them and at a time when they were being threatened with bankruptcy.

"Stop her. Don't allow her to leave with that young man. Throw up any blocks and get whatever samples you can from him. We need to know more about him. This is the greatest discovery this company has ever found. We can't let him escape!"

"Calm down, Mr. Ludlow. We have every safeguard in place," the geneticist stated. "There is no way for her to sneak him out."

"You better hope that she can't," Peter growled. "We can't afford to lose this specimen."

"Yes, Mr. Ludlow."

The geneticist, a scrawny man with scraggly hair and large bifocal glasses, nodded then hurried out the door. Peter sat down at his desk, rubbing his temples. He had to get rid of Torie and fast.

'But how? How do I get rid of her? She's a trusted advisor. Even with my uncle off the board, they still trust her. Almost fear her. Like her staff. What is it about her that makes everyone fear her?'

A knock on the door brought him out of his reverie. Putting his glases back on, Peter rose to his feet.

"Come in."

"Hello, Peter . . ."

"Well, hello, Uncle," he smiled greasily as John Hammond entered his office. "What can I do for you?"

"You can stop whatever it is that you're planning, for starters," John stated.

"Why, my dear uncle, I don't know what you're talking about," Peter faltered, turning away.

"I know you have a young man here, Peter. Torie told me about him and your plans to experiment on him. I'm telling you now, I won't allow it."

"You won't allow it, Uncle?" he turned on his heel to glare at him. "How can you stop me? You're no longer in control of InGen, not after the incident on Isla Sorna. I'm in control now, Uncle. Me. And I will do what I feel is in the best interest of InGen. This young man will save the company, Uncle, he and his healing abilities. We just need to know what causes him to heal."

"He has a family somewhere, Peter. You've ripped him away from that."

"He isn't even human, Uncle. Have you seen him? He has dog ears on the top of his head. Claws instead of nails. I can save this company with him and with rebuilding Jurassic Park. Just watch and see, Uncle. Just watch and see."

"I'm afraid, Peter, that you're the one who cannot see . . . I've seen this young man from Japan and he looks human to me."

"You haven't seen him," Peter scoffed.

"Yes, he has," a female voice chimed in. "In fact, so have I. He looks very human to me." Torie stepped inside his office, her eyes gleaming.

"I've seen him as well, Torie," Peter spat. "He is NOT human."

"Really? I think the doctors in Japan were trying to pull a fast one on you, Peter. Take a look."

She motioned with her hand then a young man with long, dark hair and amethyst eyes came into view. He wore a white gown and a white pair of pants. Peter narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked the young man over. His facial features were familiar but other than the shape of his face, he bore no resemblance to the young man whom he had brought back from Japan. The ears were gone, the silver hair, the claws and the amber eyes.

"What did you do, Torie?" he hissed. "Where is the young man I brought back?"

"Right here, Peter," she smiled sweetly. "I told you. Someone in Japan tried to pull a fast one on you."

"How can you be sure, Torie? How can you be sure?"

"Duh! I run the genetics lab, don't I? That's where you took him, right?"

"Yes . . ."

"That's where I found this one. Lying on the hospital bed, in the genetics lab."

"This can't be . . ."

"I'm sorry, Peter, but it is."

"He was hit by a bus!"

"Really?" Torie raised an eyebrow at him. "We ran some X-Rays on him, Peter. There isn't any indication that he was."

"That's because he has unnatural healing abilities . . . The doctors told me so . . . They'd seen what a mess he was . . ." Peter stared in frustration at the young man in the door to Torie to his uncle and back again. Somehow she had done it. How, he didn't know but she had done it. She had managed to rip out from underneath one of the only things that would save InGen from bankruptcy.

"Get out," he growled softly. "All of you. Get out."

"Of course, Peter. Whatever you say."

She said something, something in Japanese to the young man next to her. He nodded and they left, John behind them. He took a couple of deep breaths before clearing off his desk in one violent sweep.

"Damn her! Damn her to hell!"

He jabbed a button on his desk.

"Security . . . I want you to follow Torie. Wherever she goes, you go. I want to know what she's doing, when she's doing it, and who she's doing it with . . . Yes. I don't care. Just do it."

He jabbed the button again then turned towards the window. One way or another, Torie would pay for the outrage if it was the last thing he did.

---------------------------------

_"What was he saying?"_

_"He knows that you have unusual healing capabilities. Like I told you before, he wants to use that to his advantage. This is the only way I can keep you safe for now. Chances are, he'll start tailing me. I've seriously pissed himself off now."_

He held her hand as they practically ran out of the building. A cool, night breeze picked up as they exited and he shivered. He wanted his clothes back or at least something warmer.

_"Why did you do it?"_

"Why did I do what?"

_"Help me. You don't know me."_

_"Nor do you know me but you trusted me. Besides, I couldn't allow them to test on you. No one has that right to do that to another. No one."_

"Thank you."

_"You're welcome . . . What's your name, by the way?"_

_"Inuyasha."_

_"Well, Inuyasha. My name is Torie. Can you tell me what Peter was talking about? He said you got hit by a bus. Is that true?"_

_"I . . . I don't know . . ."_

They reached a small, metallic creature and she immediately ushered him. She got in on the other side. With the twist of a key, it roared to life and they were gone.

_"You don't know?"_

_"No . . . I don't know . . ."_ He took a deep breath. _"I don't remember anything. Anything at all."_

-------------------------------------

Torie cursed silently to herself as she sped away from the InGen corporate office. She knew that the young man seated next to her had, in fact, been hit by the bus, as Peter had claimed. The medical records had said as much - since the sun had gone down, she had decided to mess with Peter's mind a little. But the young man losing his memory . . . she had not counted on.

'Can't be helped, though. Something like this is always inevitable. I just have to help him stay human until I can get Peter off my ass.'

She swerved through traffic. Finding a safe haven for them was her first and primary goal. Then she could perform the spell that could keep him as human, until it was safe.

_"Where are we going?"_

_"Some place safe, Inuyasha. Some place where Peter can't find us . . . and I can keep you human a little while longer."_

_"He can find me if I'm hanyou . . . Can't he?"_

"Hai. He can. Trust me, when it's safe, I'll take the spell off so you can return back to your normal state. I promise."

_"You better. I'm going to hold you to it,"_ he grinned. _"I do have one more question for you."_

_"What's that?"_

_"Do I have to wear these clothes from now on?"  
_  
_"No,"_ she laughed. _"I have some spare clothes in the trunk. We'll find a place to stop so you can change. We'll even stop somewhere and get some food. Sound good to you?"_

_"Sure does . . . Again, thank you. You didn't have to do this."_

_"I know,"_ she smirked. _"I wanted to. Besides . . . you're rather cute."_

Torie chuckled at the tinge of pink on his cheeks as she continued to swerve through traffic and take many right and left turns. Finally, she pulled into a 7/11 and killed the engine. All he needed was a pair of pants and a t-shirt. All she had to do was ditch the car and get into another. By the time Peter's cronies caught up with the car, they wouldn't know where to begin to find her.

'I just have to be careful for them not to find me,' she thought as she got into the trunk of the car and pulled everything out, including a bottle of bleach water, a pair of latex gloves, and a towel. There would be no trace of Inuyasha in the car. Not if she could help it.

-------------------------------

Inuyasha watched as Torie completed her spell, the small stone in her hands glowing slightly before the light dissipated. She put it onto a chain of silver then placed it around his neck and he shivered. Whatever she was, she had power. Great power. He could feel the magic she had woven into taking effect immediately. And in time, as well. The sun had begun to rise and it tried to peek in around the curtains.

_"You're tired,"_ he noted, brushing some stray strands of hair from her eyes.

_"Nothing I can't handle,"_ she grinned. _"You're tired as well. Come. Let's get some sleep."_

Before he could protest, she crawled into the bed, dragging him next to her. His face burned as she curled up next to him, one arm draped across him, but he had to admit . . . he kind of liked it. She had a strong aura to her and it drew him like a moth to a flame. He inhaled deeply. She smelled sweet, like lavender and something else. Something of the night. Letting out a yawn, he curled up next to her, the scent of the night lulling him into a peaceful dreamlike state where the only people who existed were him and the woman sleeping next to him.


	4. Chapter 4

It was hard to say what had happened first. They had fallen asleep at the first sign of morning light, her arm draping across him as if she owned him and her scent lulling him into a dreamless slumber. The next thing he knew, he was awake and strapped to a cold metal table, several people standing over them.

Some were men, some were female but he couldn't make out their faces. They wore pieces of paper over half of their faces, like they were masks or something. Sharp objects began to insert themselves into his arms, legs and stomach, and he lashed out, trying to get them away from him. His bonds held him firmly in place.

"Let go of me," he growled but to no avail. He spoke Japanese and none of them seemed to understand what he was saying.

They pressed something against his face, something that breathed tainted air into him. 'Poison,' he thought as his eyes began to droop and his body relax. 'This isn't happening. This can't be happening. Where's Torie? She said she'd help keep me safe. Was it all a lie?'

Coherent thought fled him as the tainted air began to take effect. "Iie," he whispered. "Iie."

He awoke sometime later in a cold, metal room, clad only in a flimsy kimono, much like the one he'd been wearing when he'd first came to. His body ached and he smelled blood. His blood. An acidic taste filled his mouth. They had taken his amulet. He could tell by the position of his ears and the colour of his hair.

'Where is she? Why isn't she stopping them? How did I end up back here to begin with?'

The door slid open and Inuyasha tensed up. More of them had come. But they weren't going to take him again. Not without a fight. With a feral growl, he rose to his feet, his amber eyes glaring at the humans in front of him. Flexing his claws, he moved to attack. Pain lancing through him brought him to his knees and he gasped for air, grasping at his throat. That was when he felt the metal and leather, the source of his pain.

They turned towards each other and spoke in their language. The male nodded then gave him an evil smirk. Inuyasha recognized him immediately as the one Torie had called Peter.

'If he has me then something's happened to Torie. And this bastard is the cause of it all. Dammit, how did he find us?'

Peter stepped towards him and he growled a warning. Pain lanced through him once more as the other man held up a strange device and pressed it.

"I have you right where I want you," Peter snarled. "No one can save. Not Torie. Not even my uncle."

"What have you done, bastard?"

"That's for me to know and you to never find out," the man chortled. "Let me just say . . . they won't be interfering with any of my plans ever again and no one will be the wiser that it was me."

"What?"

Peter just laughed even more then left the room, leaving Inuyasha in the room alone with the woman. He watched her through hooded eyes as she advanced upon him. Something about her eyes unsettled him and sent off warnings in his head.

'Can't trust her. Don't trust her. Won't trust her. Can't let her near. Can't let her corner me. Must get to the door. Maybe I can still get out of here and find a way to get this damn thing offa me.'

He backed away from her, being mindful to stay in the center of the room. With the way her eyes roamed over him, Inuyasha had no doubts that the corners would be the first place she'd try to pin him.

"You are quite the specimen," she said appraisingly. "You have no reason to be shy around me. I've already seen everything you've got and I must say I'm quite impressed. Now if you'll just be a good boy for me and let me get a few more samples from you I'll be on my way."

"No," he shook his head. "You can't do this. It's wrong."

"No one's ever going to know, my dear," she purred, still advancing on him. "So be a good boy and let me get my job done."

She reached for him, one hand brushing against his shoulder. He skittered away, his back scraping against the wall. He wasn't in the corner. Yet.

'It's only a matter of time before she does corner me. I have to get out the door NOW.'

"Don't be shy, sweetie. I know how we can make it enjoyable for us both."

"Don't touch me," Inuyasha growled, rushing past. His hand had just reached the door when he dropped to his knees, pain exploding behind his eyes.

"You leave me no choice then," she stated coldly. A rough yank on his hair dragged him back into the center of the room and he was shoved onto his back. "You could have had this easy, you know. Blame no one but yourself for this."

Through pain-filled eyes, he watched as she pulled an unusual looking cup out of her pocket, her one hand holding a similar device to Peter's. She placed the cup between his legs then began to fondle him.

"No . . . Please . . . stop," he choked. "Don't do this."

"I think I'll continue," she grinned viciously. "You're a big boy, aren't you? And quite liking what I'm doing as well."

"No . . ."

"Oh, but you are . . . I can tell, my dear."

Tears formed in his eyes. She still held the device tightly in her hand while she continued to storke and fondle him.

'I'm not here. This isn't happening. Kami, this isn't happening.' He shut his eyes tight and willed himself to be somewhere, anywhere than where he was at. His claws scraped against the floor, creating a high-pitched squealing noise.

"There we go . . . Such a good boy," the lady mocked as she released him, grabbed her cup then left. When he was sure he was alone, he curled into a fetal position, a cold and empty filling his stomach.

'Torie, please help me . . . Please let Peter be wrong. Please . . . Find me.'

888888888

_"Inuyasha,"_ a voice whispered. A hand rested on his shoulder and began to shake him gently.

_"Huh?"_ he murmured groggily.

_"Wake up. You nearly tossed me out of the bed,"_ came the voice again. Torie.

'But how? Peter said she wasn't around to interfere with his plans anymore. It sounded like she'd been killed from his tone. So why is she talking to me and telling me to wake up?'

_"Come on, Inuyasha,"_ she encouraged. _"Wake up. It's all right. You're safe."_

Cautiously, he opened his eyes, expecting to wake up in the cold metal room where he'd been in. Instead, dark rose hues glared at him in the dull light of one of the artificial torches. Torie sat next to him, her brown eyes shimmering in concern. He bolted forward and looked around.

_"What happened?"_ he demanded.

_"You were having a dream,"_ she replied. _"A nightmare, judging by the way you were tossing and turning."_ Her hand removed his hair from his face, a cool and welcomed relief against the heat he felt there.

_"It was,"_ he admitted reluctantly. _"I dreamt that Peter got a hold of me . . . and you weren't there to stop him. Neither was John. He said that no one would knew that he was behind whatever had happened."  
_  
_"Anything else?"_ she inquired softly. _"You look a little sick."_

_"I feel a little sick . . . There was a woman there . . . She . . . did something to me . . . I . . . I felt violated somehow, like she was taking something precious from me. I told her to stop but she didn't listen."_

To that, Torie immediately wrapped her arms around him and drew him close. He shuddered as he let it out, his fears and the frustration that he'd felt. She listened, never passing any judgment. When he'd finished, he cried in her lap, her fingers running gently through his hair.

_"Don't worry about Peter ever trying to do anything to me, Inuyasha,"_ she finally murmured after several moments of quiet. _"I've already guaranteed that if I should mysteriously disappear or turn up dead, that Peter would somehow be involved and why. And he'll never get his paws on you. Ever. With the amulet, he'll be hard-pressed to prove anything other than that you're as human as the next person."_

_"You sure?"_ He raised his head up.

_"Very sure,"_ she smiled. _"Now . . . how about something to eat? John got a hold of me. He has a proposition that he wants me to hear. I think I already know what it's about, I'm just not sure if I'm ready to go back."_

_"Go back?"_ he echoed.

_"Back to Isla Sorna,"_ she answered. _"Back to where Hell began."_


	5. Chapter 5

Hell. That had been the word she had used to describe where she would be going. Where Mr. Hammond had convinced her to go back, though it had caused her great pain.

Inuyasha sighed as he stared out the hotel window. The world outside had become dark and grey and wet. Behind him, Torie shoved things into a backpack.

She had explained to him what had happened four years ago, of how she'd been offered the job with InGen Corp., and of the loss she had suffered as a result of some careless doctors in a place called Costa Rico. He didn't understand why she would even agree to go back after everything she had gone through.

_"Why?"_ he inquired.

_"Why what?"_ she murmured tiredly.

_"Why are you going back? Why must you do this?"_

She stopped what she was doing and moved to sit next to him.

_"Because,"_ she whispered. _"Because if I don't, more people will suffer and die . . . Peter wants to harvest and bring those creatures to the mainland, like they're some sort of attraction to be exploited. Like they don't deserve to be free simply because they're now human creations. We're going to observe them and stay out of their way."  
_  
_"Like what he wanted to do with me . . ." _

"Yes . . ."

"And you're going so he can't do that with them."

"Exactly."

"Then I'm going with you."

"You can't," she began.

_"Try and stop me. I'm a hanyou, after all, and much stronger than you. You'll need someone to protect you." _

"Inuyasha, you'll have a hard time protecting yourself, especially if Peter's team shows up while Hammond's team is still there. Anything can go wrong . . . You can't be in two places at once."

"I'm still going with you," he insisted. _"As long as I know and can see that you're all right, I'll be all right."_

_"I can always sedate you . . ."_ she warned.  
_"But you won't . . . I'm going with you. You can't stop me, Torie."  
_  
She merely sighed then went back to what she was doing. For a moment, he feared that she would live up to her threat and sedate him, leaving him here to fend for himself. He knew she wouldn't leave him without someone to watch over him but he didn't want to be without her.

_"If you're going to be coming with me then you better get ready to go. The private jet for Costa Rico leaves in two hours."_

_"You're letting me come?"_ he blinked. She nodded.

_"We're meeting up with an old friend of mine,"_ came the statement. "_His name is Ian Malcom. Of course, he'll try talking me out of going." _

"Why's that?" Inuyasha asked, walking over to the bed. Torie sighed softly, sealing her bag shut.

_"Because he was with us on Isla Nublar when Dennis Nedry betrayed us and shut down many of the security systems at the park,"_ she explained. _"He suffered a broken leg . . . and his reputation as a reputable mathematician has been tarnished because he made the truth publicly known."  
_  
_"Because he tried to take on InGen . . ." _

"Right."

"What happened to you there, Torie?" he whispered softly. "_If it was hell, why are you going back? And don't tell me because it's so others won't get hurt, the same as you did." _

"It's a long story, Inuyasha," she murmured. _"One that I'll tell you on the plane. In the meantime, we'd better go. We can't keep John waiting."_

_8888888888_

"Sarah!"

"Sarah!"

"Sarah!"

"Sarah Harding!"

Inuyasha's ears perked up at the sound of male voices. They sounded a little frantic and he cast a quick glance at the two women in front of him. Only Torie turned her head before shaking it and returning her attention to the task at hand. He sighed inwardly.

There had been a slight misunderstanding between John and Torie. Instead of the man, Ian Malcolm, they had met up with someone else, a red-headed woman whom Torie had called Sarah Harding. The two women were mutual acquaintances, mainly through Ian. Sarah was what Torie had called a palaeontologist, someone who looked at old bones and studied them, and she had a great passion for studying predators.

'A strange profession,' he'd thought when Torie had explained what a palaeontologist did. 'Studying old bones. Why would anyone want to do that?'

The ground shaking under his feet brought him out of his reverie and he glanced at Torie, wide-eyed. She, however, didn't move, didn't react. He didn't even detect the faintest bit of fear from him and he gradually relaxed. If Torie wasn't alarmed then he had no reason to be, either. Within a few moments, several dragon-looking creatures walked by them. A clicking sound came from Sarah as Torie stood by yet Inuyasha could have sworn he heard the same clicking noise coming from in front of them.

'Can't investigate just yet,' he frowned. 'Those creatures might attack me or the girls.'

It turned out he didn't need to investigate. And he could put faces and names to the voices he'd heard a few moments before. Nick. Eddie. And Ian. The rest of Hammond's team. And one would never make it off the island.


	6. Chapter 6

_"I don't like this . . . I don't like this at all . . ." _

"Relax, Inuyasha," Torie murmured, resting a hand on his shoulder. _"Once we get to the village, we'll be all right. We can call for help." _

"I'm not talking about that," he murmured. _"I'm talking about him being so close. Did he even know we were going to be here?" _

"No," she shook her head. _"Hammond wouldn't do that to us. He wants to stop Peter. Come. Rest while you still can. The Gods know you need it, Inuyasha." _

"Where are you going to be?"

"Right here. Next to you. Now hush and get some rest. Roland will be back soon."

She settled herself next to a tree, being careful not to sit on the muddy ground. Inuyasha settled next to her, resting his head in her lap. Idly, she brushed his hair from his face with her fingers, rubbing his temples lightly. The last twenty-four hours had been hell. Pure hell. What had started out as an observation mission had turned into one of survival. If Roland hadn't taken the infant T-Rex, it wouldn't have been nearly as bad as it was. They wouldn't have had to treat the infant's broken leg and the adults wouldn't have attacked their trailers. The two teams had to merge together just to ensure that no one else died. And everyone sorely needed the rest. They had marched with only one actual rest break since last night.

'And Inuyasha needs the sleep. More than what I do.'

"Everything all right, Torie?"

She raised her head then nodded.

"Yeah, Ian. I'm fine. Just like old times, huh?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "How's your friend doing? He looks a little exhausted."

"All right, under the circumstances. He wasn't about to let me come here by myself, not after what I had told him about four years ago. But, for some reason, I get the impression he's seen a lot worse than this, Ian. He's more ready to fight than to flee and it's just weird, y'know?"

"That is odd," he agreed. "But anyway, how've you been doing? I haven't had a chance to talk with you lately. How's life been treating you?"

"I've been okay as well, Ian," she smiled softly. "It's just been a long time since I've let any man get this close to me."

"Probably burning Peter in his ass."

"Would serve him right. Anyway, you should get some rest, Ian. We'll probably be moving soon as Roland gets back."

"Get some rest yourself," he told her. "You're not going to do him or yourself any good if you pass out."

"I'll try, Ian," she murmured as he walked away. "I'll try."

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, peripherally aware of Roland coming back without the man they had set out to find. It didn't surprise her that the compies had gotten a hold of him. Most of the time, they scavenged off of larger predators but that didn't mean they couldn't hunt on their own. Their diminutive size gave them an advantage over an injured animal. They could swarm over anything and anyone the way a swarm of army ant could take down an elephant.

However, a moment later, after Roland and R.J. went to get some rest, the ground vibrated slightly underneath them. Torie opened her eyes as Inuyasha stirred.

"_They're coming,"_ he whispered. _"I can smell them. They're not that far off. We need to get out of here."_

"_No. We need to stay still. They may be fierce, Inuyasha, but they can be outsmarted. They can't see us if we don't move."_

"_Are you sure?"_

"_Hai,"_ she nodded._ "We'll be all right so long as we don't attract attention to ourselves."_

Before too much longer, the female T-Rex came into view and headed straight for the tent that Sarah and Kelly were sleeping in. Torie tensed up as she watched. Inuyasha slowly pushed himself up, his own body tensed, as if to attack.

"_No,"_ she whispered. _"Don't . . . Kelly and Sara are okay . . . So far. So long as they don't move and don't cry out. Just stay right here. You don't have to like it, Inuyasha, but please . . . trust me on this. Okay?"_

"_Okay," _he nodded just as one of Roland's men woke up and started screaming in Spanish. The entire camp woke up and pandemonium ensued. Inuyasha had her on her feet and they were running. Somehow they managed to catch up with Nick, Kelly, and Sara and another scientist, and found a cave behind a waterfall to hide in. The Rex followed them, trying to reach them with its tongue.

"Snake! Snake!"

Torie turned her head just as the other scientist started panicking about snake going into his shirt. Before anyone could reach for him, he disappeared from their view . . . in the jaws of the Rex. Inuyasha's arms wrapped around her tightly. It sounded like the Rex was coming back but, instead of the large predator, Ian came through the water. He relaxed slightly but seemed rather adamant about keeping a hold of her, even as they left the safety of the cave and headed for the village.

"_I'm so sorry, Inuyasha,"_ she murmured. _"I shouldn't have brought you here . . . I should have Hammond put you up somewhere."_

"_No . . . I told you I wasn't going to leave you,"_ he stated firmly.

"_But you wouldn't be running for your life . . ."_

"_Is that supposed to make me feel better, Torie? Because if it is, spare me. After what you told me, I wasn't about to let you face any kind of danger by yourself. And if it comes right down to it, I can make sure nothing catches any of . . ."_

He was cut off when they came to a stop, and Torie looked at Ian. That's when she noticed where they were at. She paled then tightened her grip on his hand.

"_What's wrong?"_ he whispered.

"_We need to run . . . Run as fast as we can,"_ she breathed. _"If you thought the T-Rex was bad, what's in this field is much worse. And before you ask . . . you remember what I told you about velociraptors?"_

"_Yeah . . ."_

"_We're in their domain . . . We have to run . . . NOW."_

Ian had pretty much said the same thing to Nick and Sara then they were off and running. She didn't know how long they ran, couldn't have been more than a minute at the most, until they came to a sudden and tumbling stop.

"Okay, I'm ready to get out of here," she moaned, picking herself up from the ground. Then she offered a hand to the dark-haired man she landed on top of . _"Inuyasha? Are you all right?"_

"_Hai. I'm all right,"_ he nodded, taking her hand. _"How much longer before we can get out of here?"_

"_We should be out of here soon . . . I hope."_

'And the sooner the better,' she hoped as they helped Ian get to his feet. Nick had already taken off to the village to radio for help. She just hoped that they wouldn't be too late.

888888888

"_How's this?"_

"_Mmm . . . feels good . . ."_

"_Glad you like it."_

Inuyasha smiled as he massaged the knots out of Torie's back. They were in her Philadelphia home, far away from San Diego. For that, he was grateful. Getting off the island had not been easy. They'd had to outmaneuver the velociraptors Torie had told him about. To Inuyasha, they hadn't looked that scary. Their tactics had what scared him. They hunted like wolves but hadn't. If anything, they were smarter than wolves. Wolves he could've understood and predicted their movements and where they were going to attack from. These creatures had been sly and trickier than a kitsune. But they had proven to be smarter and trickier . . . Even Kelly, Ian's daughter, had gotten rid of one of them. Before he knew it, they were on a helicopter, retreating from the island. Torie had insisted that they head straight to Philadelphia. She wanted to be home and Inuyasha couldn't blame her for that. No TV, no radio . . . the silence had been blissful.

'But that Peter got one of those animals off the island . . . We all saw it. How can he get away with it? I don't understand it.'

"_Something wrong, Inuyasha?"_

"_Hmm?"_ He blinked then met her gaze.

"_You have this far-away look,"_ she stated. _"Is something wrong?"_

"_Oh,"_ he laughed nervously. _"Just thinking . . . just wondering . . . how Peter can get away with taking that animal off the island when the consequences are so obvious."_

"_I see . . ."_

"_You don't seem too concerned anymore,"_ he frowned. _"Why is that?"_

"_Because Hammond called this morning, while you were still sleeping . . . Peter's dead now . . . The adult Rex got loose in San Diego, caused a lot of havoc. Ian and Sara found the infant and used it to lure the adult back to the ship . . . Peter chased after them and had no chance of escaping the adult in the ship hangar. He wasn't that intelligent of a man. If he would have been, this whole thing never would have happened."_

"_So he isn't going to be coming after me anymore?"_

"_No. He won't be coming after you anymore,"_ she smiled warmly. _"Now all we have to worry about is helping you get your memory back. I'm sure you have someone who cares about you very much, worried about where you're at and how you're doing."_ She brushed her hand against his cheek.

"_Maybe,"_ he shrugged non-committally. _"Do you think that it'll ever happen?"_

"_I believe that it will, yes. We just need to give it some time and patience."_ Torie winked at him then kissed him lightly on the nose. _"It all depends on you. Especially since I don't know that much about you and your past."_

"_Yeah . . . I guess you're right."_ He pulled her into his arms. _"But I do intend to enjoy my time here, with you."_

Inuyasha held her in his arms as they settled onto the couch. While he wanted his memories back, he wasn't in any hurry. He never felt as content with his life as he did right then and he didn't want to lose it.


	7. Chapter 7

"Wakey, wakey," a female voice purred, chuckling a little. Something tickled the top of his nose. The tip of her finger, he surmised groggily, jerking away from her. He opened his eyes to see a smiling face framed by sun-kissed hair. Her hair appeared to be messy, pulled up into a hasty knot, though he knew for a fact that she combed it often.

'Always intentional with her,' he smiled.

"Morning, Sunshine," Torie stated, kissing him on the lips.

"Morning," he yawned as he stretched, nearly knocking her off the bed in the process. "What's gotten you in a good mood?"

"You," she replied back. "Why else would I be so happy, Inuyasha?" She had half-draped, half-curled herself across his chest, her head resting comfortably under his chin. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around him, his smile growing wider.

Life had become a little sweeter for the half-demon since he'd arrived in America and had been rescued by the blonde-haired woman. He had a place where he could sleep and not be chased out of, plenty of food to eat, and, most important to him, the love of a kind and caring, if not downright devious, woman. Granted, his past remained a mystery to him, but it no longer bothered him as much as it had when he first came to. If his memories returned, then they returned. He wasn't going to leave. That still didn't stop Torie from trying to help him remember, though. She did everything she could think of to jog his memory, from trying to fix a variety of Japanese foods to delving into his native country's history and folklore. He had to admit it flattered him that she cared so much to go back to something that had obviously hurt her so much. He could tell by the way her eyes would mist over for a moment before shaking it off and smiling once more.

"I love you," he whispered, inhaling some.

"I love you, too," she whispered back. Then she sat up, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Time to tweak the ears!"

"No!" His eyes widened as he grabbed her wrists firmly yet gently. At one point it had become a daily routine for her to reach for his ears to either scratch them or tickle them. The routine had evolved into a game of him trying to keep her from his furry triangular lobes but, in the end, she always got them.

"Oh yes," Torie cackled. She straddled his waist to pin him down while she reached up. "There is no escaping me!"

"But Torie!" he whined.

"Oh, you love it and you know it," she smirked. She leaned forward then licked him from his jaw to his temple, one of her many methods of taking him by surprise. Inuyasha growled softly at her play but eased up on her wrists so she could play with his ears.  
"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled mockingly as he pulled her close to him.

'What I wouldn't give to stay like this forever,' he thought.

888888888

"I just don't get it!" Kagome wailed. "Where could he be?"

It had been six months since Inuyasha had disappeared, and they had not been able to locate the hanyou anywhere. They had kept a constant vigil at the well and Kagome had kept an eye out for him in her time, but to no avail. It was like he had never existed, except in their minds. They had even run into Kikyou and Sesshomaru over the last few months. Neither one had seen the hanyou anywhere.

'And if no one's seen him here and I haven't been able to find him in my time then that means only one thing's happened to him . . .'

Kagome felt her stomach churning as she thought of Inuyasha being captured by some scientists. Who knew what the hanyou was going through at that moment in time?

'But I have no way to prove it,' she thought sadly, wrapping her arms around her stomach. 'I have no way of finding him. Oh, Inuyasha . . . please be all right. Please.'

"Kagome? Are you all right?" Sango inquired, a hand resting on her shoulder.

"Yeah," she sniffed. "Just thinking about Inuyasha and wondering where he's at. . ."

"I know," the taijiya murmured. "We all are."

"I keep hoping he'll show up at any moment, full of his blustering, and I kept but wonder what's keeping him away from us. I'm worried, Sango," Kagome whispered. "We know he isn't anywhere in this era. Sesshomaru hasn't seen him, Kikyou hasn't seen him . . . Even Kouga hasn't seen him. I'm . . . I'm afraid something's happened to him in _my_ era . . ."

"Like what, Kagome?"

"Like . . . like the government got a hold of him . . . If he got insured somehow and was taken to a hospital, they'd find out what that he was different and use him for experimentations . . . He's strong, Sango, a capable killing machine in the wrong hands! I can't bear the thought of being forced to do something like that, Sango. I can't! But it's the only reason why I can think of him not returning."

Tears formed in her eyes as she spoke, spilling over and rolling down her cheeks. The thought had tormented her over the last few months, her imagination always running away from her and not allowing her a moment of peace.

'Please, Inuyasha, please . . . if you can, please . . . find your way back to us. Please.'


	8. Chapter 8

"I can't believe you two! Have you any idea of how worried Kagome's been about him?!"

Ayumi's lithe frame seethed. In all of the years she had known them, she never thought they'd do anything like this. Eri and Yuka gave her cool stares. The two had finally confessed to her what they had done six months ago.

"We did what was necessary," Eri stated, crossing her arms. "It was for Kagome's own good."

"Exactly," Yuka nodded. "She wasn't going to get rid of him so we got rid of him for her."

Ayumi clenched her fists and closed her eyes. They just didn't get it. They didn't see what the worry had done to Kagome. She took a deep breath then let it out.

"And you've broken her heart," she finally stated. "You've made it so she can barely eat, barely sleep . . . she's _that_ worried."

"She'll get over him," Eri assured.

"Will she?" Ayumi shot back. "It's been six months! She doesn't look like she's getting over him! Did you ever stop to think that maybe she really, truly _loves_ him?"

"But he doesn't love her," Yuka snorted. "Remember all the times she's cried about him because he went running off after his first girlfriend?"

"Hai, I do. But that didn't give you the right to shove him in front of a bus!"

"Ayumi . . ."

"No!" she cried out, covering her ears. "I don't want to hear it! I don't want to hear _anything_ you two have to say!"

Ayumi felt a hand rest on her shoulder and her eyes snapped open. Jerking away violently, she glared at her friends.

"Just stay away from me, you two," she growled softly in her throat. "I don't. Ever. Want to see you or speak to you again. Not after what you've done to Kagome . . ."

Before they could say anything, Ayumi whirled around and stalked out of the room.

888888888

"So Ian Malcom was right and Torie Cronkhite never said a word about it. How very amusing," a sinister voice laughed. "I think it's time I paid the good woman a visit. Bebop! Rocksteady!"

Heavy footsteps running towards the command center echoed throughout the entire Technodrome. The man who had called for the two henchmen shook his head. He wore a silver helmet and silver facemask along with a grey muscle shirt, grey kilt, tight black pants, and a purple cape. Within minutes, a man-like boar and a man-like rhino entered, coming to a halt before the man in the mask.

"Yeah, boss?"

"Get one of the diggers ready. We're going to the surface."

888888888

His heart pounded loudly in his ears and his breathing came in long, heavy rents. Lips smashed against his, scattering any coherent thought that may have entered his mind. Waves of delight and passion coursed over him, making him deliriously happy. He knew that he had experienced a great many things throughout his life, but nothing compared to the feeling he had when he was with her.

When both felt spent enough to finally rest, Inuyasha turned on his side and wrapped his arms around _his_ woman. His lips twitched as her fingers danced along his skin, occasionally flicking away a few stray silver strands but stopping only when they came into contact with his ears. Torie nuzzled his neck while her fingers started to massage the white, furry triangles atop his head.

"I love you," she murmured, kissing him.

"I love you, too," he breathed, his eyes closing. Within moments, he had slipped into a blissful, dreamless sleep, unaware of the new danger that approached.


	9. Chapter 9

Inuyasha slowly opened his eyes then let out a soft groan. Morning had come once more, and all too quickly, in his opinion. All mornings came too quickly anymore. It seemed that, after he and Torie spent hours of just worshipping each other, the sun came up moments after they'd gone to sleep.

'I just want this moment to last forever,' he thought with a sigh.

Still, it couldn't be helped. Another day had started. Already, he could hear Torie's neighbours going about their daily activities.

'We're probably the ones still in bed.'

That thought brought a smile to his face as he glanced at the golden-haired woman who slept next to him. It wasn't lost on him that he owed her. He owed her a lot. She had saved him from a life of being poked and prodded, and ultimately being used, against his will, as a weapon. He didn't even want to think of what would be happening to him right now if she hadn't intervened, though he still had nightmares about the possibilities. Inuyasha never told her about them, the ones that he could remember, anyway. He was sure that she suspected something, though. He could see it in her eyes whenever she made a comment about the dark circles under his eyes. Eventually, he'd have to tell her . . . but not right now. He couldn't. Something inside of him prevented from doing so.

'Someday, I will. Just . . . not now.'

With another soft sigh, Inuyasha pushed himself up into a sitting position. Next to him, Torie stirred but otherwise made no other movement. Smiling once more, he leaned over her and kissed her on the neck.

"That . . . tickles," came the sleepy murmur. His hands slid to her sides as his smile became wolfish .

"I know."

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"Guys!"

Donatello ran into the practice dojo, nearly out of breath. His brothers – Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael – glanced at him, as did their sensei, Splinter.

"What is it, Donnie?"

"Shredder's on the move. It looks like he's heading for Philadelphia!"

For a moment, no one spoke. No one even dared to breathe. Then Raphael shattered the silence.

"He's finally lost it."

Everyone there knew what he meant. Shredder was going after Torie.

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Ayumi glanced around, her entire form trembling. Every now and then, she glanced over her shoulder, trying to see if anyone was following her. So far, in her mind, she'd been lucky.

Since Eri and Yuka's confession about what they'd done to Inuyasha, Ayumi had not gone to school. She had stayed in the safety of her bedroom, pleading the flu to her parents, and had continued to do so for several days. This was the first time she had ventured out in over a week, and since it was a school day . . . she felt she could make it safely to the Higurashi shrine without running into her so-called friends. However, that didn't mean she could let her guard down. Far from it. For all she knew, they could have hired someone to keep an eye on her and to make a move against her. She didn't trust them. Not anymore. Not after what they had done to Kagome's boyfriend.

'I just hope Kagome doesn't get mad at me for not telling her sooner,' Ayumi prayed as the Higurashi temple came into view . . .


End file.
